Evaluering av implementering av rammeplan for barnehagen

The Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training has initiated an evaluation of the implementation of the 2017 Framework Plan for Content and Tasks of Kindergartens (FP), asking for knowledge on changes in kindergartens following the renewed plan. The project's main aim is to scrutinize the ongoing changes following the implementation of the FP at kindergarten level, and to which extent the observed changes in service quality and content are a consequence of implementation of the FP.

The FP regards childhood as a value in itself, and thus, kindergartens should have a holistic approach to children's development. In cooperation and understanding with the home, kindergartens are obliged to take care of children's need for care and play, and promote learning and development as a basis for versatile development. Accordingly, children’s play, care, learning and bildung should be seen holistically, and in context. Consequently, the content in kindergarten must be versatile, varied and adapted to the single child as well as the children groups. Based on Norway’s ratification of international conventions as well as the 1999 Sámi Act, the FP regards kindergartens as cultural arenas where children are co-creators of their own culture.  Prominent in the FP is the dimension of generalization of the indigenous focus, and all kindergartens are assigned the responsibility for making children familiar with Sámi culture and society – and with the Sámi as indigenous peoples. This makes it prominent to explore the implementation of Sámi issues and rights in the FP. Thus, the project puts special emphasis on Sámi language and culture. In addition, the FP underlines the importance of safe and good transitions for children when they start in kindergarten, within kindergarten and between kindergarten and school and the project includes transitions as an overarching theme.

This project aims to scrutinize adaptations made by crucial stakeholders over time through two strands organizing altogether six  (6) work packages (WPs) addressing four overarching research questions:

1. How do significant stakeholders interpret the aims and intentions in the revised framework plan, and how do they experience the implementation process?
2. How do stakeholders at different levels work to implement the framework plan?
3. How do the ECECs work to include and secure the Sámi rights that are included in the framework plan?
4. How do ECECs facilitate and secure children’s transitions into ECEC, inside ECEC, and from ECEC to elementary school?

The overarching research questions will be addressed by all work packages.

The Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training has initiated an evaluation of the implementation of the 2017 Framework Plan for Content and Tasks of Kindergartens (FP), asking for knowledge on changes in kindergartens following the renewed plan. The project's main aim is to scrutinize the ongoing changes following the implementation of the FP at kindergarten level, and to which extent the observed changes in service quality and content are a consequence of implementation of the FP.

The FP regards childhood as a value in itself, and thus, kindergartens should have a holistic approach to children's development. In cooperation and understanding with the home, kindergartens are obliged to take care of children's need for care and play, and promote learning and development as a basis for versatile development. Accordingly, children’s play, care, learning and bildung should be seen holistically, and in context. Consequently, the content in kindergarten must be versatile, varied and adapted to the single child as well as the children groups. Based on Norway’s ratification of international conventions as well as the 1999 Sámi Act, the FP regards kindergartens as cultural arenas where children are co-creators of their own culture.  Prominent in the FP is the dimension of generalization of the indigenous focus, and all kindergartens are assigned the responsibility for making children familiar with Sámi culture and society – and with the Sámi as indigenous peoples. This makes it prominent to explore the implementation of Sámi issues and rights in the FP. Thus, the project puts special emphasis on Sámi language and culture. In addition, the FP underlines the importance of safe and good transitions for children when they start in kindergarten, within kindergarten and between kindergarten and school and the project includes transitions as an overarching theme.

This project aims to scrutinize adaptations made by crucial stakeholders over time through two strands organizing altogether six  (6) work packages (WPs) addressing four overarching research questions:

1. How do significant stakeholders interpret the aims and intentions in the revised framework plan, and how do they experience the implementation process?
2. How do stakeholders at different levels work to implement the framework plan?
3. How do the ECECs work to include and secure the Sámi rights that are included in the framework plan?
4. How do ECECs facilitate and secure children’s transitions into ECEC, inside ECEC, and from ECEC to elementary school?

The overarching research questions will be addressed by all work packages. 

Through multi-level and comparative analyses, this project will offer insights into the relation between policymaking and implementation processes at different levels. We have developed a multi-methodical design for applied research, based on data from a range of sources, in order to achieve longitudinal in-depth and broad knowledge on how all crucial stakeholders understand, interpret, and experience the FP. The various data sources will supply and inform each other in methodological triangulation in order to answer the research questions and enable us to report regularly to the directorate as a basis for possible modifications of the policy design.

To gain in-depth knowledge of  practice within kindergartens the project will conduct fieldwork studies in 20-25 kindergartens through observations, in-depth interviews, and document analysis of annual, monthly, as well as weekly plans, other plans and schedules. The fieldwork studies will be conducted twice during the project period: in 2019/2020 and 2021/2022, allowing two years to pass in each of the kindergartens between the two times of fieldwork studies. 

Children attending kindergartens are the target group of the FP policy and measures aimed at increasing quality and equalize quality differences. To attend to the target group we use observations in kindergartens and user surveys to parents. We will conduct in-depth interviews with representatives for owners and municipal authorities that constitute important stakeholders for evaluating inter-organizational implementation process variables.  Analyses of municipal inspection reports on kindergarten implementation of the FP parallel with fieldwork studies will contribute to the multi-faceted database for the evaluation.

To get an overview over the FP policy design we will conduct a document analysis of all public and relevant plans and guides and in-depth interviews with relevant stakeholders at national level

The project will achieve broad knowledge through two national surveys, the first including all municipalities as the local authority responsible for, among other things, kindergarten quality within their geographical borders. The second survey will include all kindergartens heads in Norway. We will distribute the electronic surveys early autumn 2019 and repeat those three years later, autumn 2022.